Eagle County commissioners unanimously approved a resolution establishing a new lodging tax fund and wildfire suppression program guidelines at their March 17 regular meeting, directing $725,000 toward wildfire mitigation in 2026, including the hiring of eight new wildland firefighters for summer deployment along the I-70 corridor. The board also reappointed three Emergency Telephone Service Authority board members, approved a six-item consent agenda, and held two afternoon work sessions on the county’s ongoing land use code rewrite and a Bureau of Land Management proposal to allow Class 1 e-bikes on designated mountain bike trails.
The board met in executive session earlier in the morning for legal advice on a proposed intergovernmental agreement between the Roaring Fork Transportation Authority and the Town of Basalt for administration of trail funding. No public comment was offered during the open comment period.
Lodging Tax Fund and Wildfire Suppression
Eagle County voters approved an increase in the county lodging tax from 2% to 4% in November, with 90% of new revenues directed toward workforce childcare and public safety enhancements and 10% to tourism marketing. The resolution approved Tuesday establishes the administrative framework and spending guidelines for the public safety portion of those funds.
The county budgeted $725,000 from the new fund for wildfire programs in 2026, with the primary investment being the creation of an eight-person wildfire hand crew module — a gap officials said has long existed in the county’s suppression capability. Community Mitigation Manager Eric Lovgren explained that Eagle County has adequate fire engines but has lacked hand crew capacity, the personnel who cut fire lines and conduct mop-up operations. The crew will operate countywide in partnership with Vail Fire, Eagle Valley Wildland, Eagle River Fire, and Gypsum Fire, providing east-to-west coverage along the I-70 corridor for the first time.
Vail Fire Chief Mark Novak, Eagle Valley Wildland Division Chief Hugh Fairfield-Smith, and Gypsum Fire Chief Justin Kirkland were among the fire officials present. Commissioners noted that the county saw 17 I-70 chain fires the previous summer, all contained quickly, and said the lodging tax passed by a narrow margin — creating an obligation to make the investment visible and effective. Lovgren said the county had already begun onboarding seasonal firefighters and had contractor proposals in for the Roaring Fork Valley chipping program expansion. The board also approved additional funding for Eagle County Wildfire Assistance Program cost-share grants. The resolution passed unanimously.
E911 Board Reappointments
The board approved two-year reappointments for three Emergency Telephone Service Authority board members whose terms expire March 31: Vail Fire Chief Mark Novak, citizen member Karen Murphy, and Kevin Kromer. Authority administrator Beth Dobransky explained the board oversees 911 surcharge funding, manages addressing that integrates with the 911 system, and is working toward next-generation geospatial routing. The resolution passed unanimously.
Consent Agenda and Updates
The board approved six consent items, including a $1.5 million agreement with Castle Peak Senior Care for ongoing operations, a third amendment to the fire sprinkler services agreement for county buildings, a memorandum of agreement with the Northwest Loan Fund for DOLA Grant 25-700 to support small business lending, a first amendment to the Colorado Energy Office agreement for the Geothermal Energy Tax Credit Offering worth $3.48 million, approval of meeting minutes from late 2025, and a resolution on a taxpayer-generated abatement petition.
Commissioners noted upcoming community events including the Education Foundation of Eagle County’s Project Funway and a Snowmass ski day with elected officials on Friday. County Manager Jeff Shroll announced the Small Business Development Center strategic plan comes before the board next Tuesday, noted a new animal shelter inquiry text line, and reminded food vendors of a public health training on March 18 from 9 to 11 a.m.
Land Use Code Rewrite Work Session
County Attorney Beth Oliver and land use rewrite consultant Todd Messenger of Fairfield and Woods led the afternoon work session on the Eagle County Land Use Regulation rewrite. The session opened with a review of approximately 31 state bills moving through the Colorado General Assembly that could affect the new code. House Bill 26-1001, an affordable housing measure that has passed both chambers and is expected to be signed into law, would require administrative approval for certain housing projects on qualifying parcels served by water and sewer — a change officials said would primarily affect Edwards.
The session also covered completeness and technical sufficiency review procedures in the draft code, including a provision allowing the county to retain application fees and require a fresh submittal after three rounds of insufficient technical review — an incentive for higher-quality applications. A community member provided public comment supporting clearer, more consistent public signage for land use applications and recommending that taxing authorities be added to the referral agency notification list. Messenger said both points were well-taken and would be incorporated. No formal action was taken.
BLM Class 1 E-Bike Proposal
BLM Colorado River Valley Field Office representatives — Field Manager Lisa Dawson, Assistant Field Manager Hillary Boyd, and Recreation Planner Alan Sapinski — presented a proposal to allow Class 1 e-bikes on all designated mechanized mountain bike trails within the field office. Class 1 e-bikes are pedal-assist only with no throttle and cease providing assistance at 20 mph. The proposal affects approximately 86 miles of trails in Eagle County, including about 28 miles in Hardscrabble and 14 miles in East Eagle.
Public scoping closes March 25, with a final environmental assessment decision expected by February 2027. BLM officials noted the field office has one dedicated law enforcement ranger covering 600,000 acres and that enforcement relies primarily on education and trail stewardship. Commissioners raised questions about enforcement capacity, signage clarity across e-bike classes, and whether e-bikers might use closed motorized roads. BLM officials said those issues will be analyzed in the environmental assessment. Comments can be submitted through BLM’s ePlanning website; a public meeting is set for March 18 in Silt from 4 to 6 p.m.
The next regular meeting of the Eagle County Board of Commissioners is scheduled for March 23.
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